I host a bunch of mailing lists that use the absolutely excellent mailing list software called “Mailman”. Some I run myself, others I just host for others and somebody else does the actual list membership management and stuff. Every month, on the first of the month, Mailman sends out an email to each member of each list with the names of the lists they’re on, the passwords they’re using for that list, and how to unsubscribe or update their memberships if they want or need to. Since some of the mailing lists are low traffic, and since list traffic which bounces often doesn’t indicate the actual subscriber’s address (because they’ve forwarded it from one address to another or because the bounce message doesn’t clearly indicate who it was sent to), the monthly reminders are a good way to weed out invalid addresses, as well as helping remind people that they’re on the list and what to do if they don’t want to be on the list any more. So I always see a small flurry of people unsubscribing or modifying their subscriptions right after that reminder comes out, which I see as a good thing.
But inevitably, some idiot gets the email, and rather than actually reading the instructions contained within, they hit “Reply” and tell me to unsubscribe them. I reply back and say that they were emailed detailed instruction on how to unsubscribe just yesterday, and they should try reading those instructions and following them. And if they’re like the idiot today, they say that they tried but it wanted a password, and bemoan the fact that I’m being unhelpful. To which I reply pointing out that the email whose instructions they supposedly followed included that password.
I also point out that “when you’re given instructions, you should read them and follow them” are the most helpful anybody has ever been in their entire lives, because this doesn’t just help them in this case, but for everything they might want to do or accomplish for the rest of their lives. How many other people have given them help today that will change them from needy whiners with an overdeveloped sense of entitlement incapable of doing anything on their own without hand-holding into bold, confident go-getters who can meet any challenge with aplomb and vivacity?
And do you think they thank me? Never!
Speaking of ranting:
What do you think my best tactic is for getting a nasty-gram from the security folk in my workplace telling me not to ssh to an external server and to only stick to tools that are part of the standard environment (which does include telnet and ftp).
1) Beg my web/mail/unix-shell host to turn a blind eye to me switching to telnet
2) Set my personal mail (my main non-work reason for checking connecting during the day) to forward to my work account
3) Setup a box I can telnet to and ssh from there instead
4) Set up a box that has an ssh server running on port 443 (SSL). This is assuming that you’re allowed to browse secure websites at your workplace.
I’ve never had to resort to this myself, but I’m told the traffic’s virtually indistinguishable from genuine HTTPS traffic. I haven’t confirmed this, so caveat emptor, obviously.
I symapthise with you having to deal with non-instruction-reading idiots. I follow some immigration forums, and the same issue turns up regularly. New poster: “I just received a Request For Evidence! They want me to send them X, Y, and Z! What should I do?” Umm… how about sending them what they want? “But I already sent them A, B, and C! Why should I have to send them more things!?”
Numerous variations on the theme… asking what to do even in the face of clear directions and/or instructions. Sigh.